The Tale of Nixie
by iHeartToast2011
Summary: 'Though none of the three knew so then, the meeting between Anastasia Nereus, Erik Lensherr, and Charles Xavier had forever shifted the destiny of the entire world.' Erik x OC, Slight Charles x OC. M to be safe
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the X-Men characters or the X-Men universe. I only own my original character Anastasia Nereus. **

_The Tale of Nixie_

Chapter 1

Two teenagers stood peering at an aquarium glass housed in a cave-like exhibit. One of them was an extremely pretty blonde girl with beautiful green-gray eyes wearing a modest pink dress, and the other was a tall and quite cute red-head boy. It was obvious how nervous the boy was, especially when he had finally managed to muster up the courage to make conversation.

"Crazy huh?"

"What?"

"You like fish, and I like fish too," started off the redhead, "...maybe we should get a bite sometime and talk about it."

The boy turned his head at the girl with what looked at a very ill-fated attempt at looking suave. The girl made a small noise in exasperation and looked at the boy back condescendingly.

"I'd rather go out with the fish." She deadpanned, and walked off. The redhead turned back to the aquarium, and briefly gazed at the goldfish swimming past the glass before, astonishingly, releasing a sound wave sounding remarkably like sonar into the water. The fish all scattered, leaving only a coral structure in view of the aquarium glass.

"These fish?" he called out, and the girl turned around, her expression of annoyance turning into mild shock and disgust. She hurried off, and the boy turned back to the aquarium glass.

"Now that wasn't very nice of her, was it?" The boy jumped back as a figure solidified on the coral structure. The figure turned out to be a young and very attractive woman wearing only a loose white flannel shirt and medium-length denim shorts that nevertheless still showed off her amazingly long legs.

"Wh-wh-who...a-are you?" the boy said both startled and flustered. The woman flashed him a big grin, and suddenly, a white lab coat formed on her shoulders and a thick black metal frame of glasses situated themselves on her face. The boy's face morphed into an expression of recognition. The woman's grin, if possible, widened even more.

"Hi, Sean."

"You're the director of the aquarium, aren't you? Professor—" Sean rambled on, but was cut off by a hand over his mouth. His eyes widened when he noticed that the apparent "professor" right in front of him, on his side of the glass, was the one blocking his mouth.

"Now, Sean, introductions should be done properly. So, hello gentlemen." At the end of her sentance, the professor looked past Sean's shoulder, gazing at the two men emerging from the shadows. She lowered her hand from Sean's face, so then he too could turn around and see the two new participants.

The professor looked appreciatively at both of the strange gentlemen. The first one, on the left, was a tall and handsome man, looking of German descent, who had the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen and ruffled dirty blond hair. The other man to the left, who looked more British, was slightly shorter, but equally handsome, with extremely bright and beautiful blue-green eyes and soft brown hair that was just tempting her fingers to run through it.

"Erik Lensherr." The German man said with a slight nod, which the woman professor returned.

"Charles Xavier." The British one then drawled with a charming grin on his face.

She shook the hand of the German first, and switched with Sean to shake the hand of the British one as well. After doing so, she gestured at Sean to go first.

Sean sighed and gave a sheepish grin, "I'm Sean Cassidy." He looked at the woman, who gave a soft smile to all of them in return.

"And I'm Anastasia Nereus."

* * *

><p>Charles knew that him and Erik didn't agree on most subjects, but they finally had found a solid common point: an attraction for this genuinely gorgeous woman in front of them.<p>

He had definitely gained a lock on Sean Cassidy when he had used Cerebro, but this woman had been much harder to determine. Something about her was evasive, there but not there, and all around but nowhere at once. He and Erik had planned to quickly recruit Sean and then go searching for the woman in the area, for he had almost gained a lock on her location several times around this aquarium. However, once he saw her power, he had understood.

As for the attraction, Charles had to admit that there wasn't much about this woman that wasn't attractive. She had a thick lustrous mane of wavy black hair, ice blue eyes, slightly aristocratic European features, and a tall and curvaceous body that wasn't hidden very well by her lab coat and flannel shirt.

"Now Sean, introductions should be done properly. So...hello gentlemen." The woman looked over the red-headed teen's shoulder, directly at him, and he felt an involuntary shiver down his spine. He nudged Erik, who looked slightly spooked as well, and they came out of the shadows with a casual gait.

Before he used his classic charming grin designed specifically for persuasion, Charles grinned internally at the fact that he didn't need his telepathy powers to see the appreciative gaze the woman had given him.

* * *

><p>Erik had never had much time for women in his life, but he now found out that he was willing to make time. As he and Charles strutted out of the shadows to approach the two other mutants, he had truly never met someone as eye-catching as the woman in front of him. It wasn't just the wild black hair, sparkling blue eyes, and sharply contoured face, but also the aura of confidence and intelligence that the woman unknowingly exuded. Before his thoughts got way out of hand, Erik reigned them in with frightening speed, and a curt nod to both of the mutants in front of him before introducing himself.<p>

"Erik Lensherr."

Charles then introduced himself as well. After that, he shook the hand of the female mutant, noticing how long her fingers were, and her very firm grip. Noticing the unbroken stare that the woman was giving him, he in return gave her a smoldering glare into her eyes, of which she didn't even blink.

Once all the handshakes were over, he and Charles looked at the two others in front of them expectantly, and both of them exchanged glances.

"I'm Sean Cassidy." The woman then gave a smile, and responded in her quirky British-accented tone.

"And I'm Anastasia Nereus."

Though none of the three knew so then, the meeting between Anastasia Nereus, Erik Lensherr, and Charles Xavier had forever shifted the destiny of the entire world.

* * *

><p><strong>Just an idea that kept bugging my head even since I saw X-Men First Class. Please review!<strong>

**-iHeartToast2011**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't**** own any of the X-Men characters or the X-Men universe. I only own my original character Anastasia Nereus. **

_The Tale of Nixie_

Chapter 2

"So...you've seen my powers and you've seen his," Anastasia nudged her head at Sean, who was releasing small sonar waves into the water, "what are yours'?"

The two men, Charles and Erik, as far as she could recall, both smirked at each other, and an unknown conversation passed between them, with no sound. Charles turned around and looked at Anastasia and Sean, who was now interested in the conversation again.

"Looks like I was certainly wrong about the extent of _your_ power, miss." Anastasia's eyes widened when she heard Charles' voice loud and clear, but his lips hadn't moved an inch. She glanced at Sean, who was also shocked, and then turned back to the charming British professor.

"You're a telepath." Charles smiled and said, this time not in her head, "Yes."

"And what about you...Mr. Lensherr?" Erik turned his calculating eyes at the woman mutant and gave a small smirk.

"Call me Erik, " he said and Anastasia nodded and repeated her question.

"Then Erik...what are your powers?" Erik lifted his hand and her glasses flew off of her face and into his open palm. Her astonishing eyes sparkled with understanding.

"And you control metal. Impressive." Then, to Erik's surprise, a hand made of water grabbed the glasses gently from Erik's palm and carried them in midair onto Anastasia's face before disappearing.

"Impressive yourself. And I thought that you were just a teleporter that used water." Erik inquired subtly, and Anastasia smiled before closing her eyes. Suddenly, her entire form turned into water that stayed suspended in the shape of her body. The two men and the teen boy's jaws dropped as she grinned and evaporated, only to reform leaning on Sean's shoulder. Charles approached her quickly and started circling her with the excitement only an expert on this subject could have.

"Amazing! So you're completely made of water?" he inquired, and Anastasia slightly shook her head.

"Not exactly. It's more like my life force is connected to every free water molecule, although the closer I am to them, the more control my power has over it," Erik and Sean looked at her with unchanging expressions of dumbfounded-ness while Charles looked as if he only slightly understood.

Anastasia sighed, and explained some more, "Think about it this way. I have complete control over the water vapor in the air surrounding us and the water in the aquarium, but I have no control over the water around, let's say, India, where I am now." Charles' eyes narrowed in understanding.

"So then, using the same concept, if you were next to a lake, you would have complete control over the water in that lake. Now, do you have control over, let's say, the water in an organism's body?" Charles asked. Anastasia first nodded at the correct example, but then shook her head at Charles' next question.

"No. The water inside your body is under constant use, and it bonds to your life force. To control it, I would both have to locate the exact location of the water, and also block the life force that has bonded to the molecules. Much too much work..." Anastasia sighed, and Charles and Erik nodded in understanding. Charles then turned to both Anastasia and Sean and gestured towards the door.

"Shall we?" Anastasia smiled and walked towards the exit. Her smile only extended when Erik opened the door for her.

"Why thank you." She said with a flirtatious gaze at him that he matched with an uncontested stare and small smirk and nod.

* * *

><p>Anastasia looked at the doors into the CIA secret base, and Sean, Charles, and Erik walked past her at the doors. She inhaled deeply. She could run away just like always...what was the point of fighting a bunch of powerful mutants for the greater good and a couple of attractive mutants? She could always take care of herself before, so why not now—<p>

"You could turn back if you want to." Anastasia left her mind and looked at the young professor standing just in front of the doors, "I won't stop you...but how far will you run this time..." Anastasia's face went from a expression of surprised calm into barely suppressed fury.

"How dare you! What gave you the right to look through my memories!" Anastasia snarled, but to her disappointment, Charles only looked down in shame.

"I apologize for that. When you experienced shock at my powers of telepathy at the aquarium, your suppression of your memories was released and I unintentionally saw some of them." Charles apologized, and Anastasia couldn't find it in her to stay angry at the adorable telepath.

"The ones here won't do the same as _they_ did, Anastasia." Charles said staring into her eyes that were suddenly filled with pain and fear, "We're all on the same side...besides...isn't it time that you had the right to have a family?" Charles looked at the woman one last time before walking through the doors.

Charles's words echoed through Anastasia's head, and finally, she left go of her inhibitions and walked through the doors.

She caught up with the rest of the group as soon as they were entering a large room with a big glass pane looking to one of the squares in the facility. There she saw a group of individuals, mutants as well, she supposed, each as different from the next.

The woman in the smart-looking white shirt and black jacket and skirt combo approached Anastasia and shook her hand.

"Moria MacTaggert. CIA agent."

"Anastasia Nereus. Professor of marine biology and ecology." Anastasia then went through a series of introductions with the inhabitants of the room. The young Latina woman was Angel, the black guy in his late 20's was named Darwin, the handsome young blond was called Alex, the adorable brunette scientist was called Hank, and the other blonde, who was a girl, introduced herself as Raven. Anastasia then plopped down on one of the couches and poured herself some of the tequila from the table into a glass. She silently waved when Erik, Charles, and Moria left the room and turned towards the mutants that looked extremely like high-schoolers. She sat down drinking down the tequila like it was water, to the amazement of the other mutants.

"We should think of code names! We're secret government agents now, so we should have secret code names," the young blonde girl exclaimed, "I want to be called Mystique."

"Damn!" Sean shouted good-naturedly, "I wanted to be called Mystique!" Everyone slightly laughed.

"Well, tough. I called it." Raven said before transforming into Sean within a second. Anastasia, along with everyone else, jumped back, awestruck.

"And I am way more mysterious than you," 'Sean' said and transformed back into the young blonde. Everyone clapped, and Raven turned to Darwin.

"What about you?"

"Well, Darwin's already a nickname...and you know, it sorta fits...adapt to survive and all. Check this out," Darwin said, stood up, and strutted towards the aquarium tank at the side of the wall. Anastasia peered at him with expectance, and was amazed when he stuck his head into the tank and breathed with gills.

"Thank you, thank you." Darwin did a slight bow as everyone clapped and then he gestured towards Sean, "What about you?"

Sean paused for a moment, "I'm going to be...Banshee!" Anastasia chuckled at the reference, while everyone else gazed at Sean with confusion.

"Why do you want to named after a wailing spirit?" Hank asked in confusion, and Anastasia contributed to making it even more mysterious by saying, "Definitely fits..."

"You might want to cover your ears..." Sean said before crouching down level with the table and staring at the three glasses of Coke on the table. Everyone looked quizzically at Anastasia, who nodded with a smirk as she covered her ears, and then copied her.

Sean inhaled deeply, and cracked his neck before releasing a sharp whistle that missed the glasses on the table and instead hit the glass pane, shattering it. Sean looked at the shattered pane with a gulp, while everyone else laughed and clapped. Angel then looked at Anastasia, and asked,

"Do you two know each other from before?" Anastasia and Sean both chuckled.

"Only briefly." Anastasia smirked.

"She gave quite a fright when she showed me hers..." Sean reminisced. Now everyone else was looking expectantly at Anastasia. She sighed, and with a grin, turned into her water form briefly before evaporating. Everyone jumped back, and looked around for her.

Hank was also looking for her when he felt a loud tap on his shoulder. He turned around, but nothing was there, and now everyone was staring in Hank's direction.

"Boo!" Hank jumped as Anastasia appeared in her water form with her chin on Hank's shoulder. Everyone laughed as Anastasia winked at a spooked Hank before returning to her seat.

"So, what should your code name be, Anastasia?" Raven asked, and Anastasia rubbed her chin in thought.

"What about Nixie?" Everyone turned to Hank who blushed before explaining, "It means "water sprite" or beautiful woman of the sea." Angel and Raven awwed while Anastasia smiled warmly at Hank before reappearing next to him and giving him a hug.

"Thanks Hank," Anastasia murmured before addressing him in a louder voice, "So what should your code name be?"

"How about Big Foot?" Alex jokingly chuckled, and then Anastasia glared at him before solidifying next to him and slapping his head. Alex groaned in pain and Anastasia gave him an amused smirk in return.

"Well, you know what they say about guys with big feet...and...yours are kind of small..." Raven rebuked at Alex and everyone jeered at the insult before Raven addressed Angel.

"So what's your name going to be?" Angel got up, and started taking off her jacket.

"Well, my stage name is Angel..." she said as she took her jacket off, making the guys catcall comically, "...kinda fits..." Wings unfolded themselves from Angel's back and she fluttered off the ground.

Everyone stared at her in shock while Raven exclaimed, "You can FLY?"

Angel smirked as she turned towards the statue directly outside and said, "Uh-huh, and um..." before spitting a fireball that landed on the statue's crown. Everyone gaped at her with shock as Angel sat down, and Darwin turned to Alex.

"Alex, so what is your gift? What can you do?" Alex un-expectantly became reserved and muttered, "Um...it's not exactly...um...I just can't do it. I can't do it here."

"Can you do it out there?" Darwin pressed on. Everyone started pressuring him to go show his power by chanting "Alex! Alex! Alex!" Alex's face turned into resignation as he stood up and walked outside.

"Get down, I tell you," he said solemnly, and everyone except Anastasia went behind the wall, who just sat in the closest seat to the outside.

"Get back." He said again both to the group of mutants peeking from behind the wall and Anastasia. The group went back behind the wall.

Anastasia just smirked and said, "Don't kid yourself kid. You couldn't hurt me if you tried." The group peeked out again.

"Get back!" Alex shouted this time, and sighed in exasperation when no one did anything.

"Fine whatever." Alex muttered and started turning around. As he did, rings of bright red energy circled him like hula-hoops before flying off of him randomly. The group of mutants behind the wall actually went down this time, but stared in shock as one of the rings cut through the metal statue and the other cut off Anastasia's arm. Everyone stared with shock at Anastasia's arm on the floor, while Alex ran towards her, babbling many apologies.

"Alex...Alex...ALEX SHUT UP!" Anastasia finally roared, and Alex stopped. She then sighed and kicked the arm on the floor. The arm quickly dissipated into a puddle of water and everyone else stared in shock as Anastasia's arm reformed into a watery form before turning human.

"I told you that you couldn't do anything to me even if you tried." Anastasia smirked at the gaping mouths of the other mutants.

* * *

><p>"...These kids aren't ready for Shaw," Erik muttered before adding, "except Anastasia. At least she's in control of her powers."<p>

"I think they're going to surprise you. They're an exceptional bunch of young people." Charles said in return as the trio walked outside.

"What the hell?" Moria shouted before all three of them approached the now wreaked room where all the mutants stayed. Angel was dancing in the air, while Raven did the same on the couch. Hank hung from the chandelier swinging while Sean and Alex took turns trying to beat down Darwin, who was sporting a strong-looking black armor.

"Harder!"

_Smash!_

_"Ooo! The hippie hippie shake!"_

"Harder!"

"WHAT are you doing?" Moria screamed, and the young mutants all stopped, "Who destroyed the statue?"

"It was Alex." Hank said, after which Alex turned at him in indignation.

"No Havoc!" Raven exclaimed, "We have to call him Havoc, that's his name now...and we were thinking that you," she pointed at Charles, "should be Professor X, and you, " she then pointed at Erik, "should be Magneto." The young mutants gazed at them with innocent confidence.

Erik scoffed lightly and sarcastically said, "Exceptional," before he walked off. Moria gave them one last look of indignation before walking off as well.

Charles gave them a disappointed stare as he said, "I expect more from you," before he followed after Moria and Erik. Shortly after joining them, he saw Anastasia walking towards them. Before she could say hello, Charles stalked towards her in indignation.

"You were the responsible one with them! How could you let them spiral out of control? They destroyed the _entire_ room!" he shouted at Anastasia, who only raised one of her dark eyebrows at him.

"Firstly, I'm one of their comrades now, not their mother," Anastasia spat the last word with disdain before continuing, "and secondly, they're a bunch of young kids with raging hormones and mutant powers. What were you expecting them to do, sit down quietly and have a chess game? And thirdly, where the HELL is the bathroom in this place?" Anastasia then addressed Moria and continued, "Honestly I had to go piss in the goddamn bush!" Charles looked shocked, looking as if no one had ever duped over him like that, while Moria looked as if she had calmed down. Erik just became very amused.

Anastasia inhaled once more to calm down, and then addressed the three people, "So, where are you guys going?"

Erik briefly said, "Russia." Both of Anastasia's eyebrows went up briefly before walking to next to Erik. She looked expectantly at Moria and said, "Which way?" Before Moria could respond, Charles turned sharply towards Anastasia.

"No, you are not coming." Anastasia crossed her arms and gave him a look that screamed, "How're you going to stop me?"

"She will be useful Charles," Charles glared at Erik for a couple seconds before sighing and gesturing towards Anastasia.

"Fine." Anastasia grinned and practically skipped the rest of the way to the high-speed jet to Russia.

* * *

><p><strong>Got the ideas, but I definitely need some feedback from you guys! Please review! <strong>

**-iHeartToast2011**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't**** own any of the X-Men characters or the X-Men universe. I only own my original character Anastasia Nereus. **  
>-<p>

_The Tale of Nixie_

Chapter 3

Anastasia was still grinning as she sat in between Erik and Charles in the cargo hold of the old truck as they plowed on towards the military office of the USSR. Neither Erik nor Charles joked around as they usually did, staying stoic and focused. Suddenly, the panel between the front and back of the truck opened up and Moria stuck her head through, addressing the three mutants.

"We got a problem," the man in the front said. Erik then returned, "What?"

Moria looked slightly scared as she said, "I'm so sorry. This wasn't on the map." The three mutants peered past the glass to see a security check road block on the road. Anastasia groaned and Charles became completely business.

"No matter what happens, act normally. I'll take care of this," he said before shutting the panel and addressing the soldiers and other two mutants in the cargo hold, "Now listen to me..."

* * *

><p>Anastasia looked on as the Russian soldiers questioned Moria and the man. Thankfully, they couldn't see her, as she was in her evaporated state now. The soldiers now started to approach the back of the truck, and Anastasia quickly reformed inside the cargo hold.<p>

"They're coming." She said before evaporating again and watched the scene unfold in front of her. The soldiers raised their guns at the door as they heard the man in front disembark from the trunk, but Charles gestured at them to get up.

"Woah, now, easy chaps..." he said as he held his hand to his temple. The man opened the door, and to Anastasia's surprise, both him and the soldier looked as if nothing was in the cargo. She then noticed Charles's intense concentration on the two men until they finally closed the doors. Anastasia solidified again next to Charles and gave him a one-armed hug while Erik patted him encouragingly on the leg.

* * *

><p>The three mutants gazed through binoculars at the elegant white building through the bushes, along with Moria and the other CIA agents.<p>

Anastasia focused on the entrance as did everyone else, during which she saw a pretty blonde woman in a white fur cap and cape pass by security.

"Charles," Anastasia softly called out and he turned towards her, "who is she? Can't you read her mind and find out?" Charles's expression, if possible, became even more grim.

"I can't, she's a telepath like me, so if I read her mind, she'll know we're here," Charles glared into space some more before continuing, "Let me try something else..." He then focused on the entrance of the building, and Anastasia guessed that he was controlling the now strangely acting guard at the entrance.

Charles removed his concentration from the entrance and let out a dejected sigh, "Shaw's not coming." Now Anastasia was very unfamiliar as to who this Shaw person was, but whoever he was, Erik obviously hated him very much.

"I don't care, I'm going in." Erik said with determination and started to get up, but Charles interjected.

"No, Erik! She'll find out that we're here!" Erik crouched down and started a glaring contest with Charles.

"She is Shaw's right-hand woman! And I'll be damned if I let her go!" he growled, and was about to run off when Moria grabbed his sleeve.

"Let her go! You'll endanger this entire CIA operation if you expose us!" Erik's mindset seemed unchanged.

"Then it's a good thing that I'm not CIA." Erik finished off and ran off. Anastasia debated whether to go after Erik and help him or stay out of this unknown situation. She turned to Charles, who looked as if he was having the same debate, and decided that whatever Charles decided, she would go with him. Anastasia looked back at the entrance of the building, and saw various twines of barbed wire quickly trapping the guards. She then let out a low whistle as she admired Erik's determination as he ran straight across the exposed lawn.

Charles exhaled sharply and got up as well. Moria tried to hold him back, but Charles jerked her hand off.

"No, I can't leave him," he said determined, and ran after Erik. Moria sighed, and turned expectantly to Anastasia.

"So, are you going to leave too?" Anastasia contemplated this.

"Well, normally I wouldn't and instead try to enjoy the coziness of this wonderful thorny bush," she said the last bit sarcastically and Moria cracked a small smile, "but you know as well as I do that I'm the only one that can reign them into control." Anastasia gave her a wave and promptly evaporated.

Anastasia re-solidified on the building entrance foyer, and quickly ran in the direction of the noise upstairs. Soon enough, she was right behind Charles when they approached Erik. However, all three of them braked immediately when they saw the contents of the room.

Anastasia had seen many weird things in her life, being a mutant and all, but this was definitely at the top of her list. On one of the couches in the room sat the same woman from the entrance, only now in white ligerie, and on the bed sat a Russian man apparently "fondling" thin air and giggling. Anastasia was very confident that Erik and Charles had the exact same open-mouth look on their faces as she did. The Russian man suddenly stopped giggling when he noticed the three new arrivals at the door and started to raise his gun.

Charles held his temple and quickly said, "Go to sleep," and the man promptly fell down. The blonde woman stood up and, to Anastasia's astonishment, turned into a moving statue of diamond. She stared at them for a couple seconds before Anastasia recognized the look of the "flight" instinct in her eyes.

Charles had also seen the look, and was about to alert Erik when, to both of the men's shock, Anastasia materialized quickly into a form of ice right in front of Frost. She then grabbed the diamond woman's throat and easily slammed her down onto the metal frame of the bed. Anastasia, still in her captivating ice form, turned to Erik and nodded towards the metal. Erik nodded and quickly got the metal to cuff Frost's arms on the bed frame.

Erik and Anastasia, who melted into her human form, both looked expectantly at Charles, who focused intensely on the diamond skinned woman. Unlike most prisoners, however, the woman only smirked vainly at the three mutants in front of her.

"You'll never read my mind in this form, sugar." She crooned, and for some reason, Anastasia felt hot rage literally boiling in her blood. This woman, for some reason, gave her the urge to reduce anything in the 30-feet vicinity into rubble. She growled, and turned her fist into her ice form.

Erik was also very frustrated with the attractive but vain blonde woman and was about to use force. However, only pure instinct fueled him when he grabbed Anastasia's furious fist whirling towards the woman's face just in time. Charles and the woman, Emma Frost, were much more shocked than he was; they hadn't even seen Anastasia's hand move until Erik had caught it.

Anastasia was both furious that her punch was stopped and astonished that Erik had actually seen her speedy right hook and grabbed it. She settled with giving him an ice cold glare that could freeze the Earth's core over.

"_Why_ stop me?" she growled and Erik gave her a stare to match her unerring glare.

"There are easier ways to get information than you breaking your fist," Erik reasoned grimly, and Anastasia reluctantly turned her fist back into normal form before wrenching it out of Erik's grip. Erik internally sighed in relief, his hand was both so frozen that he couldn't feel his joints and filled with pain at blocking that powerful and rapid fist. Nevertheless, he turned his attention to Frost, and with a flourish of his hand, one of the metal columns of the bed frame unraveled and wrapped itself around the blonde woman's neck.

Erik crouched down in front of Frost and gave her a determined glare.

"Where is Shaw?" he hissed, but Frost only glared back at him with her own determination. Erik got up, and twitched his finger. The metal tightened around Frost's neck, and her expression turned into mild discomfort. Charles whispered an warning "Erik" but he paid it no heed.

The metal tightened as Frost continued to say nothing and the mutants started to hear the crack of the diamond around her neck. Charles urged Erik to stop again, but the German ignored him again. Anastasia became worried: even though this woman was the enemy, she didn't deserve to be cold-heartedly killed.

Erik was slowly loosing himself in the cracking of Frost's neck when Anastasia jumped in front of him. Momentarily he felt a blinding rage at her, and to the his allies' shock, Anastasia started feeling her cherished silver necklace tightening around her throat. However, it stopped and reformed to its original size when Charles shook Erik and silently communicated with his telepathy, making Erik noticeably calm down. Anastasia went back to the left side of Erik, silently rubbing the red imprint on her neck.

Emma Frost went back to her human state, and Erik walked off to next to the window.

"If she turns back into that form, just tap her neck, she'll fall apart," Erik said in a strange tone and continued gazing onto the outside grounds. Charles went to reading the blonde woman's mind, while Anastasia silently gazed at Erik's back. When Charles was finished, he noticed that both of his comrades were lost in thought, and in thoughts about each other.

"You guys...," Charles started slowly, and Erik and Anastasia both turned to him expectantly, "this is a lot worse than we thought..."

Anastasia's face turned grim, and it only worsened as Charles explained the situation. She contemplated it as she walked ahead as Erik and Charles turned Frost over to the CIA.

Erik and Charles were walking side by side when they nearly tripped as Anastasia stopped dead in her tracks. Erik whirled her around and asked her, "What is it, Anastasia?" Charles, seeing the shock on the beautiful Mediterranean woman's face, wasted no time in assessing the situation. To Erik's puzzlement and frustration, now Charles's face was etched with the signs of impending doom as well.

Anastasia suddenly snapped out of her reverie and ran to the outside. While her two partners chased after her, Charles briefed Erik on the situation, and soon enough, both of them were frankly scared out of their wits. They ran out into the green lawn of the military building to see Anastasia frantically pacing in a circle in the middle of the lawn. When she saw them, she stomped towards them and literally shook Erik by the shoulders with worry.

"What are we going to do? No wonder Shaw didn't come when we left, it was the perfect opportunity! Oh sweet gods, the kids! They have no chance against the mutants that he's got! Shit!" Anastasia rambled and continued pacing. All of a sudden she stopped and looked to the two men again, this time with a mad glint in her eye.

Charles, reading her mind, quickly gripped her by the shoulders and said, "No, Anastasia! There's no way you can do that without dying of exhaustion!"

Anastasia easily shook him off and rambled on, "Think about it! There's no way that we can get there in time, so I'll re-solidify myself there, save the kids, beat down Shaw, take care of his cronies, and problem solved!" Erik's eyes widened at the insanity of the idea. Charles continued to try to discourage her but she snatched her hand from his firm grip and ran off.

Anastasia stood erect, and took a deep breath. She had never done a teleportation of this distance, but it didn't matter, with those kids in danger, anything was possible for her. There was no way that Shaw was going to even touch those kids forcefully on her watch, she thought with the bubble of rage emerging again. Especially Sean.

That was her last thought before she focused all her will on the CIA facility for the mutants and evaporated.

* * *

><p>Anastasia re-solidified in the lounge room that the mutants shared, and crumpled. She felt so tired...so tired as to sleep and never wake up again. Several blurry shapes all surrounded her, and she recognized the red blob as Sean.<p>

Sean certainly couldn't have described his shock when Anastasia appeared in the demolished room only minutes after Shaw and his cronies left with Angel. He yelled to Alex, Raven, and Hank to come and quickly ran to Anastasia's figure when she crumpled in exhaustion to the floor.

"Sean..." she croaked. Sean nodded, and she continued, "...everyon...ok...Shaw?"

Sean gulped and looked at the rest of the teenage mutants before answering, "Shaw just left. Angel went with him, and Darwin...Darwin..." Sean choked up at the memory of the mutant who he had just met but become great friends with. He gulped, but when he saw Anastasia's beautiful blue eyes soften with sorrow and understanding, he burst into tears and sobbed on Anastasia's chest. Anastasia, with great effort, lifted her deadweight arm and put it around Sean, and grunted to Hank.

"W...wa...wat...err..." Hank scrambled up and ran back with a large bottle of water. He tipped the bottle's contents onto her parched lips, and saw Anastasia visibly relax and brighten up when the water entered her system.

After a minute, Sean got up and wiped his eyes, muttering about being a wimp.

"You're not a wimp, Sean." Anastasia turned to the speaker, Alex, who looked haunted enough for Anastasia to realize what had happened with him. She pushed herself off the floor, despite Hank's and Sean's protests.

"Raven," Raven turned to her with too many emotions present in her eyes, "tell me, are there any fires or such that could spread? If the fire department comes now, we could all be in deep shit." Raven pointed towards the entrance, where smoke was starting to billow through.

"Ms. Nere—Anastasia! You're really tired, you don't have the energy—where did you teleport from, anyway?" Hank protested, and Anastasia shunted him off with a whimsical wave.

"Russia," Anastasia muttered, and continued with drinking all the water she could find. The four mutants in the room all gaped at her, and they continued until Anastasia finally noticed them.

"What?" If possible, the young mutants gaped even more.

"Why would you travel halfway around the world just to come here quickly?" Raven inquired, and Anastasia mysteriously murmured, "Just had a feeling about Shaw..." before shouting, "Alex! Come with me!" and walking out. Alex said nothing and dragged his feet out of the room.

When he got through the tunnel, Alex was still puzzled as to why Anastasia had called him here. He jumped through one of the small fires in the lobby room and approached her in the middle. Alex certainly noticed that she was beautiful, with her ice blue eyes sparkling with determination and her arms moving elegantly around, controlling the huge wall of water that was putting out the gigantic fires. Finally, the fires were finished and Anastasia plopped down onto one of the only un-demolished stairs in the foyer. She patted the seat next to here, and Alex sat down as well. They both sat in silence until Anastasia finally broke it.

"I don't know what happened, but I can definitely tell that whatever happened to Darwin, you were right there..." A loud gulp from Alex was the only assertion she needed. Anastasia briefly glanced at Alex, who continued staring into space, and decided that Alex wasn't going to open up anytime soon.

"I know how you feel..." Alex this time turned his head at her and gave her a glare that would ignite the Arctic Circle, but Anastasia continued before he could interject, "Most people don't have the right to say this, but _I_ do..." Alex calmed down when he saw an unknown emotion spread in the eyes of the water-controlling mutant.

"I was born in January 21st, 1844, 17 years before the beginning of the American Civil War. When the war started in 1861, I snuck in as an field nurse, because I wanted to save as many souls from death that had already taken my brother and cousins. For about 2 years, I got along well, saving the lives of many misfortunate soldiers. Then, the Battle of the Gettysburg happened." Anastasia started her story with a cold, unattached tone.

"It was horrible, death everywhere, and I was soaked in the blood and guts of countless soldiers. Some good-for-nothing Confederate then blew up the medic tent of our side, and I was able to get out just in time with one of the shot soldiers that had just come in. While we were hiding from the cannon fire, somebody shot me. I thought that I was supposed to die, but instead, the bullet just dropped from my body and the hole briefly became water before closing up and turning back to normal. Before I could revel at this amazing miracle, I got knocked out and dragged off somewhere."

"Days later, I woke up with the shot soldier that I had saved with me in a lockup. The Confederates were rumored to be brutal in information gathering from their prisoners, so we were both scared. But we kept each other's hopes up, and soon enough, he practically became my lifeline, my brother in all but blood. But one day..."

Anastasia gulped and Alex thought that he saw the glisten of a tear in the corner of her eye before she continued.

"One of the Confederate generals came to the lockup, and demanded that we be released. I started praying thanks to all the gods I knew until he knocked out my friend and dragged me out by the hair into a room filled with scientists and generals. They chained me to a chair, and after they brought in my friend and held his head over a large tub of water. Then, the main general started telling me about mutants, about how only the top of the top knew about them...about how _I_ was one...I didn't understand at all...it was unheard of...Mutants, for God's sake! But he continued with complete seriousness, and at the end, he gave me a deal...well it was more like a demand..."

"He told me 'I'm going to drown your friend. If you can control the water to not kill him, you're both free. If you fail ...your friends dies and I kill you right after.' After he said that, they woke him up...and...as soon as he was awake, they drowned him..." Anastasia retched back a sob and gritted her teeth, "...I tried, you know...I tried so hard to make the water stop somehow...but it didn't work...drowning is a very painful death, you know...the water enters your passageways, and quickly blocks everything...your lungs, your brain...your heart...the brain can survive 6 minutes without oxygen, so for the longest six minutes of my life, I watched him slowly struggle for oxygen and finally die." Anastasia now turned towards Alex and he saw the trauma forever scarred into her eyes.

Anastasia exhaled deeply and got up. Before walking away, she turned to Alex and said, "So yes, I _do_ know how you feel."

"Anastasia!" Alex called out, and the woman turned around to look at him.

"What was his name?" Anastasia looked at him in confusion, "I just...wanted to know..." Alex finished off lamely, but Anastasia gave him a sorrowful smile.

"I always loved his name, he only went by one...Logan."

* * *

><p><strong>DUNDUNDUN. Haha hope the twist is good! Please review! You'll get...cyber-chocolate! :D<strong>

**-iHeartToast2011**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't**** own any of the X-Men characters or the X-Men universe. I only own my original character Anastasia Nereus. **

**AN: All of you wondrous peeps who reviewed (Lunar Knight, qtgirl,**** Valkyrie-Pleasant****, Sherrie H., Poetgirl10), story-alerted (butterfliesinspring, qtgirl, Valkyrie-Pleasant, Sherrie H., Poetgirl10, Stormbringer-Tsuki) and favorite-d (indy's girl, BellaMasen 1918)…THANK YOU SO MUCH! I beg for your forgiveness for not updating as soon as possible, but thank you so much for the motivation! Also, thank you to the rest of the 130 visitors to this story!**

**So, please enjoy….*drumroll*….CHAPTEEERRRRR 4! **

**Cyber-chocolate to you all [because we all know, that's the best thing you can cyber-get ;) ] **  
>-<p>

_The Tale of Nixie_

Chapter 4

Charles and Erik were both consumed by worry for Anastasia and the young adults when they disembarked from the jet that had finally landed in Langley. Only, the trouble was that it wasn't much of a building anymore...more of a gigantic pile of rubble. They both jogged around the area, until they found the group of mutants sitting on the remnants of one of the monuments.

To their surprise, they saw only Sean, Hank, Alex, and Raven huddled by the destroyed wall. Not even thinking straight, Charles rushed straight to Raven and gave her a hug.

He then looked at the rest of the teenagers, and said, "We've made arrangements for you to be taken home immediately."

"We're not going home." Sean murmured, and Charles gave him a startled look.

"What?"

Sean gestured to Alex, "He's not going back to prison!" Alex broke his stare into space, and exclaimed, "He killed Darwin." Charles, despite being shocked, was still adamant.

"All the more reason for you to leave. This is _over_." Raven then turned him around sharply, giving him a resilient glare.

"Darwin is _dead_, Charles," Charles's eyes widened, "and we can't even _bury_ him!"

"We can avenge him." Everyone jumped back at Erik's proclamation, and to Charles's horror, he saw a definite glint in Alex's and Sean's eyes.

Gesturing to a place farther away, Charles curtly murmured, "Erik, a word please."

The teens hear the two powerful mutants spit words angrily at each other, easily hearing the conversation.

"They're just kids!"

"No, there _were_ kids. Shaw has his army, _we_ need ours."

"I agree with Erik."

Shocked at the new voice, everyone turned back to see Anastasia finish reforming into her human form, and then sit next to Sean. Charles and Erik could both concur that Anastasia had certainly seen better days. Her normally graceful posture was slouched with exhaustion and dark bags of sleeplessness hung underneath her electric blue eyes that were crazed by extreme amounts of caffeine.

Her voice was softer than usual, but still resonant, "I just came back from General Armivolkoff's office. Shaw and his brutes, now including Angel, basically forced the general to put nuclear missiles in _Cuba_." She gave Charles and Erik a hard stare as they both swore.

"Charles." Charles turned back to Erik again, and sighed.

Turning back to the group, he said, "We'll have to train. _All_ of us," he looked at Erik and Anastasia, "Yes?"

Everyone nodded, while Alex grunted a "yeah". However, one problem was still blatant.

"Well we can't stay here," Hank dejectedly mumbled, "Even if they reopen the department, it's not safe. We got….we got nowhere to go!" Erik looked down at that, thinking hard on the subject, and Anastasia, if possible, looked even more depressed.

"Yes we do." Everyone looked up at Charles, who gave a small smile to Raven, who flashed him a great grin in return, "Let's go! They have a van over there."

The mutants clambered into the van, got comfortable, and Charles drove off away from the depressing CIA ruins. He and Moira sat in the front, conversing lightly, while Alex sat next to Sean, both of them starting to kid around, bringing their old characters back. Hank and Raven sat behind them, engrossed in their conversation and in each other.

Finally, Erik and Anastasia sat in the far back of the van. As Erik looked out the window, he felt a distinctive thump on his shoulder. Smirking, he said, "A little early to pull a move, is it?"

To his disappointment, when he turned his head, he found Anastasia lightly snoring on his shoulder, finally getting some much needed sleep. Erik cracked an actual smile, and lurked in his thoughts the entire trip.

"Wow." That word pretty much summed up the reaction of most of the mutants to the….titanic Xavier mansion. Anastasia, back to her bouncy flirtatious mood, after getting some great sleep on a great "pillow", was currently leaning heavily on Erik's back, and kept whispering, "Damn". Meanwhile, despite priding himself on having utter self-control, Erik had to keep reminding himself that she was talking about the mansion, not…him.

"This is yours?" Sean gaped.

"No…it's ours." Charles said warmly, and everyone grinned. Charles gave his charming smile in return, when all of a sudden; he felt a great warmth tackle him with a hug.

"…Thank…you…." Anastasia, to everyone's shock, sniffled into Charles' shoulder, "….I haven't had a home for a very long time…." Charles returned her gesture with a reassuring hug. The mood slowly became awkward for the rest of the mutants, especially Erik, who could feel the bubbling of jealousy begin in his stomach.

"Honestly Charles," Charles let go of Anastasia and looked quizzically at Erik, "I don't know how you survived….living in such _hardship…_" A very unladylike snort of laughter emerged from Anastasia's direction, and Erik internally relaxed, knowing that everything was okay with the water-controlling mutant.

"Well, it was a hardship softened by me…" Raven gave Charles an affectionate smirk, and then walked in the direction of the mansion, saying, "Come on. Time for the tour."

As everyone walked towards the beautiful estate, Anastasia murmured, "It's like Disneyland…"

"And this floor is the bedrooms." Raven finished. The group of mutants was now at the top floor of the mansion, and Raven turned around, like a picture perfect host, and asked, "Any questions?"

"Yeah…" Anastasia mentioned, "Are there any rooms with that river and satellite view?" Surprisingly, Erik perked up at her question, and now was looking expectantly at Raven as well. Nervous under the intense stares of the two intimidating mutants, Raven mumbled, "Um…yeah, there's one but…"

"Where?" Both of them shouted. Anastasia looked menacingly at Erik.

"Why do _you_ want the room with the view anyway?" Erik, for once not captivated in her beauty, matched the Mediterranean woman's glare.

"Why do _you_?" Literally seeing the electricity cackle between the two, Raven quickly whispered, "It's just down the hall, but…" That's all she got to until the two mutants whizzed past her, running down the insanely long hall.

Anastasia grinned; she was going to get there first! All of a sudden, however, she felt a pulling sensation on her throat, and got thrown back by her silver necklace. Looking from the ground, she saw Erik sprinting by, laughing exhilaratingly.

She stood up, her aura resembling an inferno, and moved her hand dramatically down. A wall of ice smashed down right in front of Erik, who slammed face first into it and then onto the ground. Groaning, he raised his head, only for Anastasia to run over him and slam him right back down.

Anastasia, now beaming like a madman, could see the room just ahead, _and the view_! She grabbed the doorknob of the slightly ajar door, and majestically slammed it away. There it was, the beautiful valleys, the rushing river, the gleaming giant satellite. However, right when she was about to take the first step into her new abode…

_SLAM_

…Erik tackled her down to the ground. Disregarding the groaning woman on the ground, Erik jumped up in non-characteristic joy and shouted, "Haha! It's mine! Yes!"

"No it's not!" Erik's eyes widened as Anastasia grabbed his shirt, and dragged him hard onto the floor. She smirked and tried to get up, but Erik grabbed her leg and pulled her down again. They wrestled roughly, Anastasia slamming him down to the ground, and Erik straddling her down. Punching, hair pulling, biting, kicking; all were happening continuously between the grappling pair, until…

"ERIK! ANASTASIA!" Charles snarled and, holding his temple sharply, froze the two mutants. The image that occurred as a result would be ingrained into the minds of all of the other mutants: two normally suave and majestic tigers of the mutant world pulling each other's hair like elementary kids, with the almighty Professor X actually losing his infamous cool.

Both Erik and Anastasia had turned towards Charles before he froze them, but other than that, they were still in full brawling mode. Erik was on top of Anastasia, straddling her legs down, while Anastasia was dragging his shirt collar down with one fist, while aiming for his jaw with the other.

Charles released his hand from his temple, and Erik fell down full force onto Anastasia, leaving the two of them in a normally very awkward situation.

"NEITHER of you can have this room…." Charles began, but to his continued exasperation, Anastasia and Erik both interjected.

"But I got here first!"

"No, I took ownership before you!"

"Shut up, you slack jawed brute!"

"I believe you're the one who's slack jawed, looked in the mirror lately?"

"Why you little f—"

"ENOUGH!" The two mutants of European descent now cowered under the unusual wrath of the English professor. Charles heaved out an angry sigh.

"Neither of you can have this room…because it is MINE!" Charles glared, and the two adults in front of him gulped. When they got up, they started mumbling apologies to Charles and each other. Everyone left Charles' room, and stood in the hallway. The other mutants were still blatantly staring at Erik and Anastasia, while the latter two finally took a good look at each other.

Anastasia, Erik observed, had bruises in the shape of hands on both of her arms and her legs, a busted lip, dried blood on the side of her face, and a face slightly mashed up from falling face first all this time.

Meanwhile, Erik had bite marks all over his arms and hands that were already starting to bruise over, a completely broken nose, blood dried above his lip, and a very distinctive redness on the entire left side of his face.

It started as a small smile, then a snort of laughter, then a little giggle, and finally….

Hilarity ensues.

If the event before had seemed strange, the new event occurring before the young mutants left it in the dust. Two bleeding, bruised, and extremely powerful mutants of metal and water crying from laughter and rolling on the ground can definitely stay in one's mind for a long time.

"So, Charles, what's my training?"

So far, Anastasia had seen Charles's…..peculiar training ideas for the various mutants. Who would have a basement resilient to even the strongest of Alex's power hoops? Or who would have ever thought of Sean being able to _fly_? Even his simplest ideas, such as racing and provoking Hank, were simply genius. So Anastasia was quite interested in what he had in store for her.

"Think you could lift that?" Charles inquired, gazing out at the magnificent scenery. Anastasia remained quizzical.

"Lift what?"

"The water of the river." At that point, Anastasia turned around to face him so quickly that he could feel the whiplash of her hair strike his face.

"Are you _crazy_?" She hissed, but Charles only shrugged.

"It's good training isn't it?" Anastasia scoffed, and lightly murmured.

"That would be like you cracking the most resilient mind in the world…" Charles gave her a genuine smile, and said,

"True, it is hard to explore your head…" Anastasia raised one dark eyebrow at the Englishman's statement.

"Hah, wouldn't that mind be like that Frost woman, instead of humble old me?" She mockingly gestured, but Charles's grin didn't waiver.

"If I invested enough time and energy, I could probably enter her mind in her diamond state. But yours…it has the most remarkable self-defense system I have ever seen…you truly are unbroken…" Anastasia's face darkened at Charles's last statement, and a haunting stare glazed over her ice blue eyes.

"Let's just get to lifting that river….How on earth did you get that idea, by the way?" Anastasia muttered as she walked towards the edge of the patio.

"It actually started with Erik turning that satellite to face us…" Charles chuckled, and to Anastasia's surprise, the satellite dish was actually turned a full 45 degrees.

"Amazing…." She murmured, and regardless of containing no feelings for her, Charles felt the rare bubble of jealousy in his heart.

"I helped Erik out by providing him with some of his brightest memories, but unfortunately I can't do that with you…"

"Because I have no bright memories," Anastasia deadpanned, and Charles desperately shook his head.

"No! It's just that I really can't enter your mind….Look, the best emotion for controlling your power is peace, happiness, love…." Now Anastasia's eyes, filled with nostalgia, welled up, just the slightest bit.

"Just find a memory that creates those emotions…" Charles finished, and Anastasia nodded. She turned her head back towards the river, and took in a deep breath.

Anastasia tried all that she could, to find just one bright memory amongst the mass of horrors that was called her mind. But when Charles mentioned love…one memory finally shined through…

_Shrill, yet sweet cries…_

_A periwinkle blue blanket…_

_Bright green eyes shining through a face covered in blood…._

_A calloused, distinguishably male arm wrapped lovingly around her shoulders…_

Anastasia exhaled, and Charles was amazed to see tears streaming freely down the face of the hardy Mediterranean woman. However, when he turned his head towards the river, his amazement turned into sheer shock.

**What was Charles so shocked at? What was that memory? Holy moly, what is going in? I know, pretty evil to pull a cliffhanger, and quite a short chapter, but I'm making it up to you in the next chapter! :D **

**So please review! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't**** own any of the X-Men characters or the X-Men universe. I only own my original character Anastasia Nereus. **

**See, peeps? Two chappies in one day, I'm making up the evil cliffhanger to you guys! :D **

**Enjoy!**

There was the river….30 feet in the air…..

Charles took a brief glance back at the mansion, where he could see all of the mutants and Moira staring at the river with their jaws dropped.

He looked back, and among closer inspection, could see that even the fish were still swimming in the river, going along with their lives as if they weren't suspended 3 stories in the air.

Anastasia choked back a sob, and the river suddenly wobbled. Held by unimaginable panic, Charles was relieved when Anastasia finally raised her hand and slowly lowered it, the river sinking down alongside the motion.

When the river had finally gone back to its original state, Charles started raving, as his personality would call on him to do.

"My God, that was superb! The control you exerted over the water, even the fish! Anastasia—" Charles turned around to give Anastasia a big congratulatory hug.

But she was already gone.

Erik, as he had seen the entire transpiration from the second-highest floor, could feel nothing but awe for the water-controlling mutant. What he had done, which had seemed so monumental to him…could never compare to what _she_ had done. Mein Gott*, she had lifted a _river_!

But when he saw the distant gleam of tears on her face, he couldn't help but feel that this wasn't as much of an accomplishment to her as it was to him. Plus the fact that, despite being a mostly stone-hearted individual, he felt the need to protect this woman from every single harm possible, physical or mental. Not that he felt any sentiments to her, or anything of that sort….simply preposterous…

But when she had lowered that river, a visage of utter despair had fallen on her face. Erik could see her completely ignoring Charles's praising babble, and turning her head towards the mansion. Despite the great distance between them, Erik and Anastasia locked eyes for one brief, yet extensive, moment before she closed her eyes and evaporated into the breeze.

Erik wasted no time walking to where she would be. He ran.

Anastasia slowly twirled her fingers around, watching the water from the fountain follow through and around them like tiny snakes. If there was one thing she would keep from destruction if the world ever went into nuclear war, it would probably be this fountain. The intricate detail put in the sprouts, and the beautifully clear water shed from this sculpture simply amazed her. Unfortunately, today was one of the many days that this fountain wouldn't be able to soothe her.

"What was your memory?" Anastasia, out of pure reflex, sent a lightning fast whip of water at the source of the noise, but fortunately, this German mutant had amazing reflexes. He swerved gracefully to the side, and, like a panther, smoothly glided into the seat on the bench next to Anastasia.

"What do you mean?" Both of them knew that she knew full well that she knew what he was talking about.

"The memory….that gave you the power to do…that…" At that point, Erik made a dramatic lifting gesture, which garnered a few low chuckles from Anastasia. But she still stayed silent.

"If you won't talk….then I guess I will have to," Erik sighed, and this time, Anastasia quizzically inclined her head towards the handsome German.

"As you might know, I am Jewish…," both of their eyes briefly flickered to Erik's left forearm, where the infamous tattoo lied, "and before…the war, we had a great life. All of the Jewish community was a great family, and every year, at Hanukkah, an honorable and distinguished person of the community would light the candles every day. The year before…our last….," Anastasia gave him a reassuring pat on the leg.

"I'm here…I'm listening…" Erik nodded and continued.

"They let _me_ light the candles. Me! Only a brat and a disobedient one at that! But for some reason, that year, they let me light the candles. And the pride, the honor, and the serenity I felt at that moment, the joys on the faces of my mother and father…those feelings have been all I have been striving for since…"

Anastasia could feel her eyes filling with tears again, and blinked them rapidly.

"Erik, that's…the most beautiful thing I have ever heard…Thank you…" Erik gave her a glance filled with emotion that she couldn't stop one lone droplet from falling from her eye.

"Anastasia, the thing is…until recently, I had all but forgotten that memory. If it wasn't for Charles, I would still be oblivious to the existence of that precious experience…."

"That's why, no matter how many horrors haunt you, you need to open your mind. Of all of the people who could deal with the horrors that you, and that I, have faced, Charles would be the best possible choice you have. And you know that." Erik finished, and Anastasia exhaled a deep breath.

"I agree with you Erik," she began, "but the trouble is that even Charles says it himself that he can barely get into my mind. How can he help me face those horrors then?"

"Don't forget, it's not just him who can help you," Erik subtly mentioned while giving her a meaningful gaze, to which Anastasia gave a wobbly smile in return. Then, Erik's face contorted back into his signature smirk.

"Plus, doesn't he have to train as well?"

"Anastasia! Anastasia!" Charles shouted into the hallways. The British telepath had been searching every corner and crevice of the titanic mansion, but nevertheless, the Mediterranean woman stayed out of his search.

Charles sharply exhaled, his hand nearly pulling his hair out from worry. Of course, of all the people he had to find, it had to be one of the only beings on the planet that he couldn't read the mind of. Oh how great was the luck of Charles Xavier.

After several more hours of searching, Charles dejectedly returned to his, previously his father's, office. Slumping into the armchair behind the ornate oak desk, Charles frowned into the distance, still disappointed at failing to find the slightly hydromaniac mutant.

"Where could she possibly be?"

"Maybe right behind you."

"GAH!"

THUMP

Well, Anastasia hadn't expected this. Sneaking up on the telepath had seemed like a good idea in foresight, possibly releasing some tensions. But she definitely hadn't expected the mutant to scream, slightly shrill, like a teenage girl. Or to plummel very ungracefully out of the comfy armchair to the floor in the goofiest way possible. Nope, she certainly hadn't expected this.

"Um….are you okay, Charles?..."

"Can't…feel….my face….Ow…." The tangle of British mutant limbs groaned.

"…Charles…? Sure you didn't break something?"

"Mphhh….my face…."

Anastasia chewed on her lip. Surely something wasn't wrong with the bright chap.

"…Faaaacceeeee…."

It wasn't as if the fall had stupefied the intelligent professor.

"…Faaaa….."

Surely not.

"…Grgshrhdah…."

Anastasia gulped.

Time to get Hank.

"Charles…"

Charles started to hear a low buzz around his ears, but ignored it for the peaceful rest he was in now.

"Charles…!"

A thin beam of light peeked through his eyelids, but quickly disappeared. The buzzing began to become intelligible, and Charles actually started to listen.

"It's been hours, why hasn't he woken up yet?" A frantic, distinctly feminine voice shouted.

"It's probably just a concussion or some sort….he'll get over it soon….hopefully…" A calmer, but still panicked male voice murmured.

"Probably? Hopefully?" The female voice shrieked.

"Anastasia, calm down…" A deep masculine timber resounded.

"How should I? Look at him, he looks practically dead!"

"If I know anything about Charles, he's not going to go down for the count with just a head injury."

"Right-o, Erik"

Anastasia literally broke her neck in whiplash as she turned to the source of the last statement. There was Charles, fully awake and smiling his devious handsome grin at that. But right when she was about to sigh out of relief, Anastasia realized something.

"You….were awake the entire time, weren't you?"

Charles sheepishly grinned, unaware of the darkening expression on the water mutant's face.

"Well, I slowly came to over the last few minutes; by the way, I am extremely flattered by your worry for me,- "

SLAP

Charles' eyes stayed wide open, as he began to feel the distinctive sting on the left side of his face. Through the shock of being openly slapped, he could only vaguely hear Anastasia's scolding.

"Don't you dare make me worry like that, you bumbling British fool! If you're awake, get up then, you prat! Ugh, men, stupid arrogant, egotistical creatures!"

Needless to say, Anastasia didn't stop her much needed rant for several more minutes. While she was letting off her steam, Charles discreetly looked around the room for the other mutants. Sean, Alex, Hank, and Raven all had similar expressions of slack-jaw and shock, while Erik wore a face of utter bemusement. Charles glared at that face, which only increased in mocking his current predicament.

Anastasia finally sighed sharply, and got up. She extended a hand to Charles, which he tentatively grasped, and pulled him up onto his feet with surprising strength.

"Let's go, I need you in private."

Charles was still surprised at Anastasia's strength as she dragged him across the estate, taking so many twists and turns in the meadows and forest that he was completely lost. The fact that he never knew that this trail they were on even existed was also adding to his confusion. Finally, the thicket of bushes and trees came to an end, opening out into a small courtyard, on the edge of the hill overlooking the entire estate.

And in the middle of the courtyard was the most beautiful fountain he had ever seen. Inlaid with various Grecian carvings and sprouting the clearest water he had ever seen, Charles was shocked at the beauty. He was even more shocked at how he hadn't known that this place existed.

"I found this place when I was wandering around one night, twinkling in the moonlight…" Before Charles could give her a quizzical look, Anastasia gave him a guilty smile, and admitted, "Resident insomniac, at your service."

Charles gave her a resolute grin and said, "Well, we'll get around to fixing that."

Anastasia's lips made a tiny upward turn before returning to their solemn placement. She sat on the bench, and patted the space next to her, wordlessly gesturing for Charles to get there.

Once he sat down, the two stayed in a smothering silence for several more minutes. Finally, when Charles finally couldn't take saying something, Anastasia did him the favor.

"I want you to break into my mind." Surprisingly, Charles didn't turn to her with a face of utter joy and surprise, as Anastasia expected.

"Are you sure?" He solemnly murmured, and even though he had asked the question, Charles knew that the Mediterranean was nodding.

"I know that I have a lot of demons in that skull of mine, but at least I know them all. What I want you to do….is to find that bright corner. Because I certainly can't."

Charles still looked unsure, so Anastasia grabbed his face and sharply turned it towards her.

With those ice blue eyes stabbing into his soul, Charles suddenly felt slightly scared…and anticipatory?

"Okay, let me make this clearer. You don't have a choice. You _will_ help me." Anastasia hissed, hoping to break the telepath with just that. But Charles still had that unsure glaze over his aquamarine eyes.

"What if I find something you don't want to see?" Anastasia's gaze hardened.

"Then that's my problem." Anastasia pondered how to convince the mutant any further, until when Erik's quirky smirk came to mind.

With a similar smirk plastered onto her face, Anastasia murmured the wrongs of the 'oh so wise' German mutant, "Besides, don't you have to train as well?"

Not to be bragging in any way, but Erik was quite proud of himself. Escaping the detection of both the powerful telepath Charles and the queen of paranoia Anastasia was quite a feat. He was even proud of his wonderful hiding spot of a thorn-less raspberry bush, both comfortable and yummy.

However, all of that pride quickly transformed into blinding jealousy when Anastasia grabbed Charles' face, leaving the two of them in a very suggestive position. Erik didn't even deny it anymore; he suffered from an extremely bad bout of attraction to the hydromaniac mutant. So when he saw Anastasia's beautiful reddish lips only centimeters away from Charles, it took all of his self control not to jump up and throw the Brit to a far, far away place.

But when Charles finally nodded his consent to read the woman's mind, Erik's jealousy quickly faded into intense curiosity.

"Are you still sure?"

"Yes, I am quite sure, Charles," Anastasia sighed.

"You do know we might be stuck like this for a long time," Charles was pulling at straws, but Anastasia was resolute.

"Just shut up and read my mind," she said, and Charles bit his lip, before putting his finger to his temple.

And in he went into the deep abyss of Anastasia Nereus's mind.

Although it had only been a few minutes in reality, Charles felt as if it had been hours. After defense after defense, Charles felt like a skeleton, about to collapse any second. But finally, no more titanic walls popped up in front of him, no more samurai tried to chop his head off, no more hyenas ganging up on him to eat him alive; finally he was through.

As he walked through Anastasia's subconscious, although he couldn't help but gasp and cringe at the horrors the woman had gone through, he knew that he was making progress. He felt the warmth, and he saw the darkness begin to give way to light. He smiled, and started to run towards the bright star, the dark memories passing him in blurs.

Until he ran headfirst into the worst darkness yet.

**Yes, it's another cliffhanger. Please don't kill me. **

***Mein Gott : German for 'My God' **

**Please review, everyone! **


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